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Setting a Weight loss Goal
When you think of setting a weight loss goal you tend to think in a very general sense. Like "I want to lose some extra weight" or "I want to exercise more" or "I want to eat healthier". The problem in this thinking is that it's too broad and you have nothing to measure your success against.
Technically by eating 1 more apple or walking to the mailbox an extra time you have acheived that broad goal, but have nothing to show for it.
If you really want to improve your chances of losing a significant amount of noticable weight ( 10 LBS or more ) I suggest you set 1 Big acheivable Goal to start.
Most weight loss advice preachs about the small goals first. The small stuff is very important and you will need it later, But they don't get you excited about changing the way a big goal does.
The basic structure of goal setting should be as follows in terms of Time and the amount of weight lost.
| 1. Main Goal/Long term Goal |
| 2. Mid-term Goals |
| 3. Short Term Goal |
Your Main Goal
Your big main goal has to be something realistic but at the same time something specific that gets you exicted enough to want to start working towards it right away.
From here on in I am assuming the Goal is to lose 35LBs in 6 months.
Mid-Term Goal
Now you need to focus on the smaller goals that you can measure your success against. I would suggest 6 specific weight targets to aim for.
| Mid-Term Goals | |
| Goal# | Target Weight |
| 1. End of Month# 1 | 5 LBS Lost |
| 2. End of Month# 2 | 7 LBS Lost |
| 3. End of Month# 3 | 6 LBS Lost |
| 4. End of Month# 4 | 5 LBS Lost |
| 5. End of Month# 5 | 6 LBS Lost |
| 6. End of Month# 6 | 6 LBS Lost |
This brings that 35Lbs into smaller more managable and realistic goals.
Short Term Goals
These goals are what make or break any weight loss plan. Short term goals are the daily/weekly activites that are non weight related. The reason for this is that your weight will fluctuate during the day or week. Many things can influence your weight like food, water or exercise. Also the time of day that you weight yourself can skew your results.
Here are some good short term goals that you can focus on:
- Jog 30 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Drink only 1 can of Soda per day
- Eat 1500 calories per day
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator everyday
- Write my meals in my food journal
- Eat 5 servings of Fruit/Vegetables each day
There are literally hundreds of small goals you can focus on. Every one you acheive will bring you closer to reaching your Mid and Long term goals.
Final Note
The real key to acheiving any of these or your own personal goals is sticking to it. If you do stray or fall off. My best advice is to dust yourself off and get back on track right away. Don't let 1 bad meal ruin your day or 1 bad day ruin your whole week.
Good Luck!